To support small businesses and boost the purchasing power of the French as Christmas approaches, Bercy wants to raise the ceiling for gift certificates distributed each year by the social and economic committees (CSE) of companies.
According to information from
Echoes
confirmed in
Figaro
, their ceiling, currently set at 171 euros per year and per employee, could be increased to 500 euros.
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Such a measure will be adopted only
"if we manage to promote small businesses for the end of the year celebrations,"
explains the cabinet of Bruno Le Maire, the Minister of the Economy.
To date, gift certificates can be used in partner brands, often large networks, and more rarely in local independent merchants.
The possibility of widening the field of beneficiary traders is being studied.
Government seeks to prevent too much of French Christmas shopping from happening online
The Minister of SMEs, Alain Griset, on Tuesday received representatives of the gift voucher sector, including Edenred and Sodexo.
The government should decide very quickly.
With Christmas less than a month away, there is no time to waste, as it will take some time for CSEs to order, receive and distribute the gift certificates.
To increase the amount of checks distributed, CSEs could tap into the travel budget, which was not used because of the lockdown.
By this gesture, Bercy wants to promote purchases in stores closed in November, especially small ones.
They will reopen on Saturday with a reinforced health protocol.
The government is trying to prevent too much of the French Christmas shopping happening online, to the detriment of physical stores.
In order for them to make up for lost sales, the government has also authorized them to open until 9 p.m. in the evening and every Sunday in December and January.
